


Finding Courtney

by MarsHunter06



Category: Total Drama (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1950s, F/M, Slight Age Difference, listing all the characters means spoiling but it's a short fic, music inspired fic, set in the states
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-20
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-08-26 10:58:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16680334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarsHunter06/pseuds/MarsHunter06
Summary: She was finally going to be free. When she left his house, she didn’t turn back once. Now it was up to Detective Duncan to solve the case. Why did Courtney run away and can she be found?





	1. Cut the Cord

**Author's Note:**

> You gotta feel courage, embrace possession  
> If it was easier to shatter everything that ever mattered, but it's not, because it's your obsession  
> Be a fighter – backbone, desire  
> Complicated and it stings, but we both know what it means, and it's time to get real and inspired  
> ...  
> Freedom, follow me  
> Cut the cord!

The year is 1955. Duncan, a well known detective in the south, is assigned to a case that will forever change his life.

 

He looks over the file his assistant, Heather, gave to him. It looked like a standard missing person case filed by the boyfriend. Her name was Courtney, 18 years old, she had brown eyes and brown hair. She had recently graduated high school and moved in with her high school sweetheart, Scott. He was supposedly going to take on the family farm and his girlfriend decided to join him. Duncan’s been in this line of work long enough to know that not everything was as perfect as people wanted it to seem. There had to be a problem, or else she wouldn’t have run away. The prime suspect is always the boyfriend, even if he was the one to call in the missing person report.

 

Duncan knocks on the door and Scott greets him with a smile once he sees who it is.

 

“Thank you, Mr. Detective! Thank you for taking my cry for help! I love my girlfriend so much. I just don’t know why she would disappear without saying a word! You gotta help me find her! I didn’t even get a chance to propose yet!”

 

“Alright slow your roll, Kid. First, don’t call me Mr. Detective— I’m not that much older than you— Duncan is fine. Second, I’m going to need you to tell me everything you remember about the last time you saw her.”

 

“Yes, sir, Mr. Detective! I mean… Mr. Duncan! The last time I saw her was two days ago. We have just moved in together for about a month now, after school was out. She normally always spends some nights at her parents’ place though, so I didn’t think anything of it. I just figured she went home for the night, but then she didn’t come back the next day, and the day after that! I called her parents, but they told me she never went home! That’s when I called you.”

 

“Was she acting any differently before she left?”

 

“No, I mean… she was quieter than usual, I guess?”

 

“Can you think of a reason why that might be?”

 

“Well, we did had a little disagreement…”

 

“About?”

 

“She didn’t like that I named the newborn piglet Susie May after one of my cousins.”

 

Duncan gives him a confused look. This guy has not told him anything to help the case move forward. Definitely not the sharpest knife in the drawer. If he had anything to do with the Courtney’s disappearance then he was doing a great job of hiding it. He decides to stop his interrogation and asks if he can look around the house for any clues. Scott happily allows him; anything to help him find Courtney.

 

Duncan walks toward the bedroom first, cracking the door open slightly. The room is a mess; he frowns at its state. Even he wasn’t that bad and he hadn’t even fully made it inside yet. Before he steps foot into the room, he’s stopped by Scott.

 

“Oh, if you’re looking for Courtney’s room then that’s not it. Her room is the one on the opposite side.”

 

“Hers? Then whose room is this?”

 

“That’s mine.”

 

“You two don’t sleep in the same room?”

 

“Oh no… I mean we were supposed to, but Courtney said that she’s used to having her own room, so she asked if we could have separate beds to make her more comfortable.”

 

“Hm… okay, I see… Thanks.”

 

Duncan walks to the opposite side of the house and opens the door to the room. This one was kept in pristine condition. Not a single thing was out of place. It was vastly different from the way Scott kept his room.

 

He starts his sweep and looks through the dresser, but finds nothing except for clothes. On top of the chest was a framed picture of three people which he assumed was Courtney and her parents. She has a beautiful smile, but her parents’ smiles looked forced. He studies the portrait, and could immediately tell that they did not have the best relationship from how awkward their positioning was. They stood too far apart from each other, there was an awkward gap between her and the parents. He also takes note that Courtney is an attractive person, he wonders how she ended up with Scott. She was definitely out of his league. He puts the frame down and continues looking through the room. Next, he checks her bed and underneath it— nothing turns up. He goes to the closet and finds that it’s organized by color, but nothing interesting besides that. Finally he checks the nightstand and finds a journal inside the top drawer. On the cover written in neat handwriting was a warning to Scott: _Don’t Even Think About Reading This, Scott_. Duncan takes the journal so he can read through it back at his office. There was really nothing else to go off of at the moment, so he walks out of the bedroom and makes his way back over to the living room. He finds Scott in the same spot he left him on the couch.

 

“Scott, were you aware that Courtney kept a journal?”

 

“Of course. She tells me everything.”

 

“Have you ever read it?”

 

“Never! Courtney already tells me everything. That’s why she told me not to read it. She knows it would bore me to hear the same thing over and over.”

 

“Alrighty then… I’m going to look through it to see if I can find some clues.”

 

“Do whatever you need to get my girl back!”

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Back at the office, Duncan sits down at his desk and opens up the journal to read through the entries. He starts at the very first one, which was dated two months ago. This was before the couple moved in.

 

_05/14/1955_

_School will be over in less than a month. That means I don’t have much time left. I got accepted into the university! I have to tell Scott it’s over. He’ll never understand. He wants me to live on the farm with him! As if. I have my own hopes and dreams. There’s no way I can spend the rest of my life being a housewife. Scott may not have graduated high school, but I did and here’s my chance to get out of this small town! Hopefully the next time I write an entry, it’ll be in the city far away from here._

 

_05/18/1955_

_Scott wants us to move in together. I told him no, but he didn’t like that answer. He got mad at me. I told him to at least wait until I graduated. He seemed to like that answer. This will buy me some time. I just need a little more money before I can leave this town. This would be a lot easier if I didn’t have to worry about Scott. He still thinks I love him. He just doesn’t know how to take no for an answer._

 

_05/27/1955_

_My parents are supportive for once. I finally told them about my plan to continue schooling. They’re just happy that I’m going to leave Scott. I should have never dated him to piss them off. Gwen told me it was a stupid idea, but I was mad and I didn’t listen. I hate when I’m wrong._

 

_06/02/1955_

_Scott keeps pressuring me to move in. I graduate tomorrow. I don’t know how much longer I can put this off. Trent says I should just be honest. He doesn’t know that I’ve tried many times. Either Scott doesn’t know how to listen, or he’s just plain stupid. At least I won’t have to worry about him for much longer._

 

_06/05/1955_

_I moved in with him. He tried to convince me to sleep in his room, but there was no way I could live in that pigsty. I don’t know how anyone could live like that! It’s so disgusting! I tried picking a fight with him again, but he just ends up apologizing, even though I’m the one who started it! He just believes everything I say. There’s no challenge at all. Sure he’s a nice guy, but he’s not the one for me. I hope he finds someone with the same brain capacity one day._

 

_06/07/1955_

_He tried reading the journal today. Luckily he stopped once he saw the warning on the cover. A part of me wishes he hadn't though… maybe then we would be broken up. I don’t know how much longer I can take living with him. All he talks about is the farm— it’s the same thing everyday. I’m just glad that I get to leave and hang out with Gwen and Trent tonight. I don’t even mind being the third wheel. Anything is better than staying with Scott._

 

_06/11/1955_

_Today’s the day! I finally have enough money to leave! So long, Scott! I would say it’s been nice, but it really hasn’t. I hope I never see him again._

 

That was the last entry. Today was June 15th. She didn’t leave on the 11th like she planned if she’s only been gone for two days. Either that, or Scott lied. Something didn’t seem right. He needed to talk to Scott again. He calls him up and he answers right after the first ring.

 

“Hello, this is Scott.”

 

“Hey, Scott, it’s Duncan.”

 

“Oh hey! Did you figure out where Courtney is already?”

 

“Not yet, but I do have a few questions I need answers to.”

 

“Alright, what are they?”

 

“Did you know Courtney was accepted into a university?”

 

“What? That’s ridiculous. She said she was going to stay with me on the farm. There’s no way she would want to go back to school. Who likes school anyways?”

 

“Okay then… Did she have a job?”

 

“No way. Her only job is to take care of me. She doesn’t need to worry about making money. I’m here for that.”

 

“Hm… did she have any friends? Maybe a Gwen or Trent?”

 

“The weird goth girl and her musician boyfriend? Courtney would never hang out with them! The only person she sees is me. She doesn’t need friends.”

 

“Does her parents like you?”

 

“Well… not so much, but it doesn’t matter because she loves me. We’re going to get married as soon as you find her! I haven’t asked her yet, but I know she’ll say yes!”

 

“Alright… one last question, do you have any idea why she might have left?”

 

“Not a single clue. I was hoping you could tell me that, Detective.”

 

“I’ll get back to you on that. I’ll check back in with you after I get more information.”

 

Duncan hangs up the phone. One thing was clear, Scott has no idea who his girlfriend is. This wasn’t a missing person report. She just didn’t want to be with him anymore. She just wasn’t sure how to break the news to him, she also didn’t think he would understand it either. He was in deep thought over Courtney that he didn’t even notice his assistant walk into the office.

 

“Tough case?”

 

“I guess you could say that, Heather.”

 

“What’s going on?”

 

“Scott has no idea who Courtney is. She chose to run away from him. She doesn’t even love him. She doesn’t want him to find her and I don’t think he should know where she is.”

 

“That bad, huh? Why didn’t she just break up with him?”

 

“According to her journal, she tried. He just didn’t seem to get it.”

 

“How does someone not get it? He must be an idiot.”

 

“Yeah, he’s not very bright. I don’t even know how they got together in the first place. She never even liked him. She is way out of his league. She’s smart and beautifully. He’s lucky if she gives him the time of day.”

 

Heather raises an eyebrow at his statement, but she brushes it off. She could already tell that he was invested in the case and he hadn’t even found the girl yet. This was going to be interesting.

 

“Well you still have to find her. Convince her to at least break it off. Tell her you’ll be there in case anything happens.”

 

“Yeah, I think that’s what I’m going to do. I gotta do some digging around to find the other people in her circle. Hopefully they’ll be more helpful than her idiot boyfriend.”


	2. It Ain't Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, I don't wanna know  
> Where you been or where you're goin'  
> But I know I won't be home  
> And you'll be on your own
> 
> Who's gonna walk you  
> Through the dark side of the morning?  
> Who's gonna rock you  
> When the sun won't let you sleep?  
> Who's waking up to drive you home  
> When you're drunk and all alone?
> 
> It ain't me

The next day, Duncan goes to Courtney’s parents’ house, hoping they would tell him where she was. He arrives and sees that they live in a large house with a white picket fence surrounding the property— talk about the American Dream. The only thing missing was a dog. He opens the gate and walks up the steps to ring the doorbell; her father was the one to open the door. He gave him a disapproving look, most likely due to his tattoos. Parents never liked him unless, of course, he was helping them find their children, but he didn’t think this would give him any bonus points with them.

 

“Can I help you with anything, sir?”

 

“Actually, yes, I was hoping you could answer a few questions for me. My name is Duncan and I was hired by Scott to find out where his girlfriend, Courtney, is.”

 

“Well, Duncan, I can assure you that I have no idea where my daughter is. She hasn’t been the same ever since that boy came into her life.”

 

“So, she didn’t stop by the house on the 11th?”

 

“No. She didn’t. She hasn’t step foot into this house since she’s graduated.”

 

“Well, sir, if you’re worried I’m going to force Courtney back with Scott, you don’t have to be. I know you don’t approve of the relationship, and it seems your daughter only dated him as an act of rebellion.”

 

“The Missus and I both know that. There was no way someone of Courtney’s status would end up with _that_ boy.”

 

“So you’re telling the truth when you say that you have no idea where your daughter could be? Could she possibly be on her way to university?”

 

“I haven’t the slightest clue where she’s gone. She did tell us that she got accepted, but never told us to what university . As soon as we heard, I gave her the funds to allow her to leave. That was just before her graduation.”

 

“Alright, just one more question, if you don’t mind. Do you have any idea if there is anyone that might know her whereabouts?”

 

“Believe me, detective, if I knew then I would tell you. Courtney and I were never close; she kept secrets from me. I love my daughter, but we didn’t always see eye to eye.”

 

“Thank you for your time, sir.”

 

Duncan walks away from the house and wonders if there was anyone who even knew Courtney. Her boyfriend didn’t know shit, and her own father was cold towards her. Running away didn’t seem like a bad option if this was what she was leaving behind. He felt bad for this girl; her family was obviously well-off. Judging from the house and her appearance, most people would think she’d be a spoiled princess.

 

He left with another question without an answer: if her parents really did give her money to leave town, then why did she still need _more_ money? He decides to track down Gwen and question her. Maybe she could finally tell him who the real Courtney really was. Someone has to know her true self.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

He finds her at a nearby diner where she worked at part time. She gave him a weird look as soon as he introduced himself. Gwen was smart, and she also wasn’t the type to rat out her friend. She does agree to talk to him, if only to try and change his mind about finding her. Business was slow since it wasn’t lunch time, so she was able to take a break to answer some questions.

 

“Thank you for meeting with me, Gwen. I assume you know the reason why I’m here.”

 

“I know you’re here to ask about Courtney, but I’m not going to tell you where she is.”

 

“You don’t have to worry, Gwen. I’m not here to take Courtney back to her old life. She ran away for a reason, and I can see why.”

 

“So you know about her lousy boyfriend and manipulative parents?”

 

“I know that they don’t know anything about her. They only care about themselves— selfish bastards.”

 

Gwen smiles at that, “alright, Detective, what do you want to know?”

 

“Tell me about her— the real her. I assume you two are close.”

 

She nods, “Courtney’s my best friend. I know we seem like opposites, but that’s what makes us work. She’s been pressured all her life to be perfect. She stresses herself out too much, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t know how to have fun. When she lets her guard down, she can get pretty wild.”

 

“So the Princess has a dark side?”

 

“Oh yeah. She used to be in a rock band with my boyfriend Trent until her parents found out and made her quit. She also has a thing for motorcycle racing— she’s never lost a race. Once Courtney puts her mind to something, she excels at it.”

 

“Was she hanging out with you on all those nights she told Scott she would be at her parents’ place?”

 

“Not always… most of the time, yeah. The first time was because we almost got arrested for underage drinking, but Courtney talked the officers out of it. Her dad’s a lawyer and she definitely picked up on how to be persuasive. We would go to concerts or parties some nights too.”

 

“Most of the time?”

 

“Yeah, well, I’m not her _only_ best friend. In the next town over during one of our bike trips, we met a girl named Bridgette. She’s a sweet girl, but she’s very clumsy and gets hurt a lot. Her family isn’t that well off… Courtney really bonded with her, so whenever she can, she tries to help them out with medical bills and watching out for her to make sure she stays safe.”

 

“I take it that’s where she is right now then?”

 

“Most likely. You can go visit her tomorrow. Bridgette’s in the hospital again, so tonight’s not a good time. I’ll give you the address, but you have to promise that you’ll let her go.”

 

“I won’t make her do anything she doesn’t want to.”

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Back at the office, Duncan stares at the address scribbled on the napkin. He was conflicted. Should he even try and talk her into saying goodbye properly? He would’ve run away too if this was what he had to face. He did run away in this situation, but this wasn’t about him… That’s when Heather walks in.

 

“You know the answer isn’t going to just jump out at you, right?”

 

“Thanks for that, Heather. What would I do without your lovely assistance?”

 

“I’m just saying. What’s going on now? Did you find the girl?”

 

“Yeah, well, I’m going to. Her friend gave me the address of where she’s at.”

 

“What’s the problem then? Another case solved.”

 

“I don’t know if I should actually go and find her. Her life here kind of sucked. No one really knew her.”

 

“Here’s this smart, beautiful girl wasting her life away on a farm without a loving family to turn to. Her dad was just going to let her marry the farmer if she didn’t tell him about the acceptance letter. What kind of parent does that? Maybe she shouldn’t come back.”

 

“—And the boyfriend! He’s helpless. There’s no way he could give her the life she wants— the life she deserves. He doesn’t even know her!”

 

Heather listens as Duncan continues. She didn’t think it was possible, but it’s happening right before her eyes. He’s managed to develop feelings for someone he’s never even met.

 

“I don’t think I’ve seen you this invested in a case before; not even with murderers.”

 

“Yeah, well, she’s different. She just needs someone who understands her.”

 

“And do you think _you_ understand her?”

 

“Of course I do! That’s my job!”

 

“I don’t know, Duncan… I don’t think it’s just about the case anymore.”

 

“What are you implying?”

 

“Nothing, just go find your princess, Prince Charming.”

 

He knew exactly what she was thinking at this point, and she was wrong. No way. This doesn’t happen in real life— only in books and movies. Then again, he’s had to deal with some crazy plots in the past. Criminals don’t exactly make things easy.

 

“You’re being ridiculous. I don’t like her. I haven’t even met her!”

 

“So? It doesn’t mean you don’t feel anything. Why don’t you go meet her and find out for yourself? Or are you going to run away and let her go?”

 

“I’m not running away. She’s the one who’s running away; I’m just chasing after her. I’ll talk to her tomorrow if that’ll make you happy.”

 

“Very, but I’m not the only one who’s going to be happy.”

 

Duncan rolls his eyes. Sometimes Heather was too much to handle. She was wrong though; Courtney was just another target. He was just able to empathize with her. He knows how it feels to feel unloved by your family. Sure, they had a good relationship now that he’s no longer a teenager getting into trouble, but it wasn’t always like that. Point is, he did understand her and he wanted to let her know that she wasn’t alone. At least, not while he’s here.


	3. Hook, Line & Sinker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Then she drags me by one finger  
> To her lips, hook, line and sinker  
> Honey I'm a sucker, when you linger  
> Give me everything I want  
> Cause you know, I won't go  
> Till I'm gone
> 
> Say my name again  
> Tell me you're caught in the middle  
> You're caught in the middle  
> And you're begging for me to stay  
> Cause every now and then  
> My love calls like a whistle  
> It calls like a whistle  
> And it's blowing your mind again

The next day, Duncan drives the hour or so to the next town over where Gwen said Courtney would be. He pulls into the driveway and he feels nervous, but he shakes the feelings away. He has nothing to be nervous about; she’s just another person he’s supposed to find. He gets out of the car and makes his way to the front door. As he approaches, he hears—what he assumes is her—singing along to a song he’s heard on the radio.  _ She has a beautiful voice;  _ he smiles, and proceeds to knock on the door.

 

“Gwen, is that you? The door’s unlocked. Bridgette’s parents are at the hospital, and I’m in the kitchen, just wait in the living room.”

 

He opens the door, and sure enough, it was unlocked. She was a little too trusting, but then again, no one else was supposed to know where she was. He smells a freshly baked apple pie and sees her figure in the kitchen. She was pulling the pie out of the oven, setting it on the counter to chill. She turns around with a smile, ready to greet her friend, but as soon as she sees him, a frown appeared.

 

“Who are you, and what are you doing here?”

 

“Calm down, Princess, the name’s Duncan. I’m not a threat.”

 

“Well my name’s Courtney— not Princess— and how can I trust you? For all I know, you could be a member of some gang with all your tattoos.”

 

“I’m the opposite of a gang member, Princess.”

 

She rolls her eyes at him, “so what are you? A cop? Cause I don’t believe that for a second.”

 

“Close, I’m a detective. I was sent to find you by your boyfriend.”

 

She tenses up after hearing what he said. “Well, I’m not going back to him.”

 

“I’m not going to force you to.”

 

She relaxes a little, but she still keeps her guard up. “Then why are you here?”

 

“Look, I won’t tell him where you are, but I think you should at least tell the guy it’s over. He seems like he really loves you.”

 

She sighs and puts a hand up to her head, rubbing her temples. She was so tired of her “boyfriend”. He was clueless.

 

“I’ve tried, Duncan! It’s like talking to a sack of potatoes! He just doesn’t understand!”

 

“Would it help if I went with you?”

 

She scrunches up her nose, making a face, and he notices that she has freckles across her nose—  _ they were cute _ — he thought, getting distracted. 

 

Focus, Duncan. Now was not the time. She says something to snap him out of his thoughts:

 

“Why do you care?”

 

“I don’t care. Well, at least not about Scott. I’ve been in your shoes before, though, Courtney, and I know you’ll regret it if you just run away without saying a word.”

 

“Who did you run from?”

 

“Who didn’t I run from? My parents are cops and I got in trouble with the law a lot when I was your age.”

 

Why did he tell her that? He’s supposed to learn about her, not the other way around.

 

She studies him, then takes a step closer, “you can’t be that much older than me.”

 

“Just a few years, but point is, you’re going to wish you got to say goodbye.”

 

“Did you get your closure with your parents?”

 

“Yeah, I did. It wasn’t easy, but I’m glad I did.”

 

She thinks about it for a moment. He guesses that’s she’s probably making a mental ‘pros and cons’ list in her head. She seemed like the type of person to like lists. Finally, she makes her decision.

 

She nods, “okay. I’ll go, but you have to come with me.”

He agrees with her. He didn’t plan on leaving her alone with Scott, anyways. They walk out to Duncan’s car and Courtney offers to drive. Duncan raises an eyebrow at that, but he lets her. He was already trusting this girl too much— for all he knew, she could drive the opposite direction, but he takes the chance. He figured it would help her concentrate on something else for the hour it would take to get to Scott’s house. While she drove, Duncan observed her. He can see that she was feeling anxious from the way she was gripping the wheel. She doesn’t like being seen as weak, so she doesn’t say anything, but he knows she’s afraid.

 

“Hey, if it gets out of hand, I’ll be there, okay?”

 

She smiles, “thanks, Duncan.”

 

He likes hearing his name roll off her tongue. Maybe after this is over, they could be friends. He does have some contacts that could help her while she’s in school.

 

They finally make it outside of Scott’s house after the hour long drive. Courtney takes a deep breath as she gets out of the car, and Duncan touches her shoulder in encouragement. She lets herself lean into his touch for a moment before walking towards the front door. She knocks on the door and Scott is standing at the entrance; he smiles as soon as he sees her and he tries to hug her, but she quickly moves out of his way. He recovers quickly, then opts to look over at Duncan and thank him for finding his girl. 

 

“Scott, we have to talk.”

 

“You bet we do! I was going to ask you sooner, but now’s a good time too!”

 

He gets down on one knee and pulls out a ring made from his shoelace, “I know it’s not much, but we can find a better ring now that you’re back. Courtney, will you be my husband… I mean… wife!” 

 

Duncan felt bad for the guy, he really did. Watching this was painful.

 

“Scott, please get back up.”

 

“Does that mean yes!?” He gets back up and tries to grab her hand to put the ring on her. She stops him.

 

“Scott, I can’t marry you.”

 

“What? Why not? We’re in love! And I even waited ‘till you got done with school!”

 

“We’re not in love, Scott— I don’t love you— I never did. I’m sorry I lead you on, but I can’t marry you. I want to be a lawyer, I got accepted into my dream school, and I have to go follow my dreams.”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me? I thought we were going to live here on the farm…”

 

“I tried, but you didn’t listen… I’m sorry.”

 

“It’s okay. We can get married after you go to school, then. I can wait for you.”

 

Courtney shakes her head, “no, I don’t want you to wait for me. You’re going to find a nice girl someday, and she’s going to love you for who you are.”

 

“I don’t want to find another girl! I just want you! We’re supposed to live together on the farm!”

 

“Scott! How could I live with you on the farm if I’m going to the city to be a lawyer?”

 

“Well who said a lawyer can’t live on a farm?”

 

Duncan couldn’t believe this guy, was he being serious or was he really  _ that _ dumb? He could not take a hint, even when it was spelled out for him.

 

“Scott, It’s over. I’m sorry, but I can’t do this anymore. I’m leaving.” 

 

Suddenly, there was a deep voice who interrupted them, “no one’s going anywhere until I get my money.” 

 

Duncan turns around immediately, after hearing the voice; he knows that voice— it was Mal— a criminal that’s been on the run for months. He was wanted for trafficking illegal drugs, as well as a few murders. He was high on the list of wanted men. What was he doing here? Maybe he finally decided to get payback.

 

“Mal! I’m sorry, man! I promise I’ll get you the money! I didn’t sell any of the drugs yet!”

 

Courtney turns to look at Scott, appalled at what he just admitted, “what!?! Scott! You’ve been selling drugs behind my back?”

 

“Courtney, I can explain! Before I found Duncan, I was desperate to find you. I ran into Mal and he said he could get you back to me if I did as he said…”

 

Courtney was furious, “are you an idiot!?! How do you not know what you are doing is wrong?! Your parent’s are going to be so ashamed at you!”

 

“I didn’t sell any of it! I was too busy looking for you!”

 

“So you were lying about helping me out then, Scott? You even brought the detective here to bring me into the slammer! I never thought you would be that smart, and it looks like I’m going to have to kill all of you.”

 

Mal pulls out a handgun and Duncan quickly draws his revolver out too, pointing it at Mal.

 

“Mal! Put the weapon down! We can talk about this!”

 

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Detective Duncan. A true double agent; what happened to helping me run my drug empire?”

 

Courtney shoots him a look, “Duncan! You too?!”

 

“Calm down, Princess— look, I told you I got in trouble before, alright. Mal and I go way back, but that’s in the past now. I’ve turned my life around.”

 

“Princess? You let him call you princess, Courtney!”

 

“Now is not the time Scott... be quiet.”

 

“Well isn’t this interesting. I’ve never seen you like this with a girl, Duncan.” Mal looks over at Courtney. She stares him down instead of cowering away in fear like her pathetic ex behind her. He smiles, “I can see why you like her.”

 

“Shut it! This isn’t about her, now put the gun down, and we can talk about this.”

 

Mal ponders about this for a moment, but Duncan knows he’s up to something. Mal makes his decision and he fires a shot at Duncan, grazing his side, and making him drop his gun. Mal walks over to Duncan, ready to end his life— but Duncan quickly lunges toward him and the two wrestle for control on the ground. Courtney immediately springs into action, telling Scott to go call the police while she runs towards Duncan’s dropped gun. She has her sights set on the struggling pair. She puts two fingers in her mouth and whistles, getting their attention. The sudden interruption makes them knock Mal’s gun underneath the car.

 

“Alright you two! Get up! Both of you! Hands up!”

 

They get up and do as she says. She was shaking. That was not a good sign. She was going to do something she would regret.

 

“Princess, calm down.”

 

Duncan was too focused on Courtney to notice what Mal was doing. Everything happened way too quickly.

 

Mal tries to grab Duncan to hold him hostage, but a single shot is fired and it hits his arm. Duncan looks at Courtney, amazed at her precision. He thought for sure she would miss from the way she was shaking. Soon, sirens are blaring and the police arrive to arrest Mal. Courtney rushes over to Duncan to make sure he’s okay, but he just stares in awe at her. She’s incredible.

 

“Are you alright? We need to get you to the hospital to stitch you up.”

 

“Huh? Oh, I’m fine. Where did you learn how to shoot like that? I didn’t think you knew how to use a gun from the way you were holding it.”

 

She just smiles at him, “there’s a lot about me you don’t know, Duncan.”

 

This woman was going to be the death of him, but it doesn’t seem like a bad way to go. He could spend the rest of his life learning more about her and he intends on doing just that. Now, if only she would allow him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I fully intended on this being the last chapter... meaning chapter four is really just a bonus, so stay tuned!


	4. Already Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We don't have to wait on forever  
> We can go a long way together  
> I just wanna let you know
> 
> I came to leave it right  
> I hope to stay the night  
> You back away but it's already love
> 
> I know you think that I'm crazy  
> Cause I can't stop calling you baby  
> And I know that you'll never break me  
> Cause it's already love
> 
> ...
> 
> You know that look that you gave me  
> Yeah it knocked me out, but it saved me  
> And I don't quite know what I'm saying  
> Cause it's already love

The year is 1956, and Courtney is now a law student. She’s far away from her small town in the south, but she couldn’t be more happy living in New York. It was weird that sometimes she felt homesick, despite all the bad memories, but having Duncan around helped. He offered to help her with her studies as a thank-you for saving his life. She accepted, since she knew he had contacts that would be useful to her. She was not expecting him to move cities for her, though. He told her that he was good enough to find work anywhere, so it didn’t matter, but it was still sweet of him to follow her. Although, going from a small town to a big city was tough; Duncan was right. He was well known enough that he still had clients. Besides, this was his hometown. He still knows all the ins and outs of the Big Apple.

 

It had been almost a year since she’s left Scott, which means it’s been about a year since she’s known Duncan. They got along well, although sometimes they argued. Courtney may have a wild side, but she was trying to suppress it while she was attending college. Most of the time, Duncan agreed with her, but there were times when he would see that she was too stressed out and he would have to coax her into letting loose. This always lead to him calling her a “stuck up princess” and her calling him a “prick”. They never stayed mad at each other, and Courtney knew that Duncan was just trying to help. It had honestly meant so much to her that someone would put in the amount of time he did to care about her. It was a foreign feeling, but one that she was getting used to more and more each day.

 

When Duncan told Heather he was following Courtney to college, she told him he was in _way_ over his head. Sure, she knew that he liked her, but she worried they were going to crash and burn— it was going way too fast. Besides, neither of them knew how Courtney felt. She had just gotten out of a bad relationship, the last thing on her mind would be to get into another one. Not that a relationship with Duncan would be bad, the two were clearly made for each other. However, her focus was on school, as it should be. She was young and had a bright future ahead of her— which Duncan argued is the reason why he should go with her. He can ensure that she has that bright future. It was a good thing Heather wasn’t attached to the small town, because she knew there was no talking Duncan out of it.

 

Courtney now lives in a dorm with her roommate, Zoey, but she rarely saw her since she was always over at Duncan’s. She practically lived there. He didn’t live too far from the university and she enjoyed the walk from his apartment to school. It gave her time to not worry about anything. On a normal day, she would wake up at 7 and have breakfast together with Duncan; he would help her make sure she had everything prepared, not that she needed it because she was always prepared; then she would go to school from 9 to 3. Sometimes she would stay late to study for a test or go back to her dorm because she felt bad for never being there. At the end of the day, she would always make sure that Duncan was home and they would eat dinner together. If he thought she was bad about skipping meals—he was worse. Especially when he was working on a case, which was almost _always_. After word got out that he helped catch Mal, he was busier than ever, but he always made sure he had time for Courtney. He would ask her about her day and listen to her; he even insisted on having at least one day a week where they wouldn’t worry about work or school. They could stay in or go out— it didn’t matter— as long as they were together.

 

Summer break was approaching fast and Courtney will officially have gone through her first year of college. It was very exciting for her for it had been her dream to become a lawyer, and now she was one step closer. She decides to go back to her dorm after class since Zoey was the only person who could relate to how she felt right now. She, too, went through a tough time with an ex-boyfriend. She didn’t expect herself to be able to go to college, but here she was. They weren’t especially close, but they got along well enough. Besides, this was worth celebrating for the both of them.

 

“Hey, Courtney, I’m surprised you’re not over at your boyfriend’s.”

 

“He’s not my boyfriend… Yeah, sorry I haven’t really been around much…”

 

“It’s okay; I get it. It’s not easy to manage school and a _boyfriend_.”

 

“Zoey, Duncan and I are just friends— nothing more.”

 

“Courtney, you’re a smart girl, surely you see that there’s something more than ‘just friends’ here.”

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

 

“You stay over all the time. You leave your stuff at his place. You two have weekly date nights and, the way he looks at you! It reminds me of the way my ex used to look at me… anyways, point is, he’s sweet on you.”

 

“I trust him— that’s why I stay over; and those aren’t dates. We just talk and catch up with one another. He doesn’t look at me any different than the way I look at him. He has to be nice to me, he owes me.”

 

“Alright, whatever you say, future lawyer. Just don’t take too long to crack this case okay?”

 

Maybe this was why she didn’t stay at her dorm. Courtney was getting annoyed at Zoey’s assumptions. Sure, they spent a lot of time together, but it was strictly platonic. It was ridiculous to think it was anything more. She bet Duncan would have a good laugh at this too. She decides to go over and tell him about it; but before she leaves the dorm, Zoey smiles and yells out, “Tell your boyfriend ‘hello’ for me!” Courtney rolls her eyes, but she can’t find it in her heart to be truly mad at her. She’s a good person. Besides, if messing with Courtney a little could help her get over her ex, then Courtney could suck it up a little.

——————————————————————------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Courtney opens the door to the apartment and sets her stuff down on the table.

 

“Duncan, you will not believe what Zoey said to me today!”

 

Instead of hearing Duncan’s voice though, she was met with that of Heather’s.

 

“Duncan’s not here yet Courtney. He’s still working on his last case, but he asked me to drop by and make sure there’s food in the apartment for you.”

 

“Oh, hey, Heather. Thanks.”

 

“No problem, so… care to share what Zoey said?”

 

“Oh, it’s nothing really. She just thinks that Duncan and I are together. Ridiculous, right?”

 

She laughs, but Heather wasn’t laughing with her. In fact, she was looking at her in disbelief.

 

“Okay, why are you looking at me like that?”

 

“I’m just surprised you don’t know. I thought he would’ve said something by now.”

 

“Know what?”

 

“Courtney, in all my years of knowing Duncan, do you know how many girls he’s dated?”

 

“Um…”

 

“None— Zero— Zip. The guy has never been serious about any girl.”

 

“And this applies to me because…?”

 

“I don’t know if you’re just in denial or playing stupid, but what I’m trying to say is that he’s serious about _YOU_. You’re the only girl he has a nickname for. The only girl who’s ever lived with him. It’s so obvious from the way he looks at you! Tell me you noticed that!”

 

“Zoey said the same thing, but I really don’t know what you guys are talking about.”

 

“What _are_ we talking about?” There he was, the man in question. The one everyone seems to think is in love with Courtney, but that can’t be true, could it?

 

“Oh, not much, you know, just the fact that you’re completely gone for Courtney, that’s all.”

 

Duncan doesn’t say anything, he looks for Courtney’s reaction, she wasn’t running away. That must be a good sign, right? Noticing Duncan’s silence was worrisome. He wasn’t going to deny it?

 

“I’ll leave you two lovebirds to it! Bye!”

 

Heather leaves them. The silence began to settle, and it was deafening. Neither of them knew what to say. What does one say when a love confession was out on the table and the other wasn’t sure?

 

“Duncan… is what Heather said true…?”

 

“Do you want it to be?”

 

“I… I don’t know…”

 

At least she didn’t say no, but it didn’t make him feel any better. He thought that she would feel something for him.

 

“I’m sorry, Duncan. I just had no idea… I never thought anything of it. I’m confused. I really don’t know…”

 

He gives her a small smile, “it’s alright, Princess. I’m not going to force you to make a decision. I’ll be fine. We can stay like how we are.”

 

“I don’t know if we can go back from this… I think I need to be alone…”

 

“I understand.”

 

She thanks him and grabs her things to get ready to leave, but before she does, Duncan tells her, “just don’t run away this time, okay?”

 

She turns around and gives him a smile, reassuring him. She nods— she wasn’t going to run away this time. She just needed some time to process this, that’s all.

——————————————————————------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Courtney opens the door to her dorm and finds Zoey just sitting on the floor staring into space. She immediately goes over to her and shakes her.

 

“Zoey! Are you alright? What happened?”

 

She snaps out of her trance, “huh? Oh, Courtney. What are you doing back here?”

 

“That’s not important. Are you okay?”

 

“Honestly? I don’t know…”

 

“Do you wanna talk about it?”

 

“I… it’s about my ex.”

 

“Did something happen?”

 

“I never really told you why we broke up but… I loved him. I still love him… he’s just not the same guy anymore…”

 

“It’s okay, Zoey. That must be hard to deal with.”

 

“I’ve gotten used to it, but some days I feel like I still see him, you know? Like he’s still out here instead of locked up.”

 

“Locked up?”

 

“He’s done some pretty awful things. Things I never thought he was capable of… Mike was such a nice guy…”

 

“I’m sorry to hear that, Zoey.”

 

“It’s alright. It’s not your fault. Let’s talk about something else. What happened with Duncan?”

 

“... nothing happened… why do you ask?”

 

“It’s not like you to come back to the dorm unless you two had a fight, but even then, you end up going back. I just figured it must be serious this time. Do you wanna talk about it?”

 

Courtney sighs and slumps against the wall next to Zoey, “... you were right…”

 

“About?”

 

“He has feelings for me.”

 

“He finally said something! That’s great! Unless… Do you not like him back, Courtney?”

 

“No, I don’t know! I just didn’t expect it. Or, maybe I was choosing to ignore it. I’ve never really had a normal relationship… I didn’t have anything to compare it to…”

 

“That doesn’t matter. What matters is how you feel about him. Tell me, Courtney, how does he make you feel?”

 

“Most of the time, annoyed. We are constantly arguing; and I mean _sometimes_ he can be sweet. I’m just grateful for him since he’s helped me a lot. He always asks about my day and checks up on me— he likes to act all tough, but really he’s a softie. I know he’s a great guy… I just… Why are you looking at me like that?”

 

Zoey was smiling at her. She grabs both of Courtney’s hands in hers. “Courtney! You like him! You should’ve seen your face when you were talking about him! Your whole face lit up and you had a huge smile!”

 

“I did?”

 

Zoey nods. Courtney removes her hands out of Zoey’s and touches her own face. Was she really smiling?

 

She allowed herself to think about Duncan for a moment. Did she like him, or was she just thankful for him? She’s never fallen for someone before— is this what it feels like? She doesn’t feel particularly different from how she normally felt about Duncan, but as she was thinking about him, she feels the smile beginning to form on her face.

 

“You can’t tell me you don’t feel anything!”

 

“No, it’s not that. I guess, I just don’t know how to describe what I feel? I’ve felt the same for him since the day I’ve known him.”

 

“Well, are you going to give him a chance?”

 

“I don’t know… he said we could go back to how we were, but I don’t think there’s a way we can turn back, you know?”

 

Suddenly, all the lights turn off. A familiar voice cuts through the dark. “There’s no turning back for you, Courtney.”

 

The dark figure snatches Courtney away and leaves Zoey still on the ground. The lights come on shortly after and Zoey is in disbelief. She knows that voice and that can only mean one thing…

 

Mal was back.

 

She had to find Duncan.

——————————————————————------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Duncan opens the door after hearing a loud and frantic knock. He finds Zoey in a panic in front of him.

 

“Zoey, what’s wrong?”

 

“It’s Courtney!”

 

Duncan’s heart races hearing her name. This couldn’t be good.

 

“Where is she?”

 

“I don’t know, but Mal took her!”

 

“That’s impossible. He’s locked up.”

 

“Duncan, I know that voice anywhere. He was the one who took her.”

 

“Shit. We have to find her. Come on!”

 

“How are we going to figure out where she is?”

 

“If Mal was the one who took her, then there’s only one place he could be. He’s not here for her. He’s here for me.”

 

…

 

Duncan and Zoey get out of the car. They were standing outside of an abandoned cabin a few miles outside of the city.

 

“What is this place?”

 

“This is where it all started. Mal and I used to do business here, back in the day.”

 

The two of them open the door, and sure enough there they were. Courtney was tied up to a chair and Mal was standing there, waiting for them.

 

“Welcome home, Detective, I see you’ve brought backup. Though, I doubt she’ll be much help.”

 

Courtney and Duncan make eye contact. He’s relieved to see that she’s unharmed. She’s happy to see that he was still here for her.

 

“Duncan…”

 

“Don’t worry, Princess, I’ll get you out of here.”

 

“Tisk, tisk. Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Duncan. I thought you would’ve learned that by now.”

 

Zoey couldn’t believe her eyes; he was here. She was shaking, but he didn’t even pay any attention to her.

 

“Mike! Why are you doing this?”

 

He glances over at her, “Mike is dead, Zoey. You really need to accept this. It’s Mal now.”

 

She shakes her head, “no, I know the Mike I love is still in there somewhere! You have to fight him, Mike! Don’t let him win!”

 

“This was the Mike that was your boyfriend?” Courtney was in shock. She couldn’t believe a good girl like Zoey would be involved with a criminal like Mal.

 

“Enough! You’re lucky I spared your life after I got rid of Mike. If you’re gonna be ungrateful, then I’ll kill you too.”

 

Mal draws his weapon and Duncan does the same. Courtney was feeling deja vu, but this time, she was tied up.

 

“Mal, put the weapon down. No one has to get hurt.”

 

“On the contrary, Duncan, the three of you will soon cease to exist.”

 

Courtney had to think fast. She shifts her body weight towards Mal, falling into him before hitting the ground in the chair. Mal loses his balance and drops the gun. Zoey goes to untie Courtney while Duncan rushes over to grab Mal’s gun. He doesn’t get there in time before Mal pounces on him, making Duncan lose his weapon. The two of them begin to struggle on the floor.

 

With Courtney untied, the two girls quickly take control of the two guns. Unfortunately, Mal gains the upper hand and takes a knife to Duncan’s throat. He pulls him up so that they were both standing.

 

“Mal! Drop the knife or I’ll shoot you!”

 

“If you shoot me, Courtney, then I’ll slice Duncan’s throat open and he’ll die.”

 

“Don’t listen to him, Princess! Just shoot him!”

 

“Do you really wanna risk his life, Courtney?”

 

Courtney has her finger on the trigger. All she has to do is pull it, but she can’t. She can’t risk Duncan’s life even if it means saving hers.

 

Mal knew he had won, “put the gun down, Courtney. I know you can’t do it.”

 

“You have to shoot him, Courtney! Don’t worry about me!”

 

“How can I not worry about you! I care about you, Duncan!”

 

Mal laughs as he sees Courtney lower her gun.

 

“You got your confession of love, Detective, too bad you won’t live long enough to enjoy it.”

 

Mal presses the knife harder into Duncan’s throat, drawing blood. Courtney screams, “stop it! You’re hurting him!”

 

“I never said I wouldn’t. Now you’ll have to watch him die— all because you didn’t have the guts to shoot me.”

 

Mal was so busy taunting Courtney that he didn’t notice Zoey with his gun.

 

“But I do.”

 

A single shot was fired. The bullet goes straight through the center of his forehead and Mal falls limp onto the ground.

 

Courtney immediately rushes over to Duncan and hugs him, tears flowing from her eyes. She puts her head on his chest to make sure his heart was still beating. She really had to make sure he was alive.

 

“I’m okay, Princess, really— barely a scratch.”

 

“You’re an idiot! You could’ve gotten killed!”

 

“Yeah, but I didn’t.”

 

“Don’t ever scare me like that again!”

 

“I can’t promise that.”

 

He was unbelievable. She was both angry and happy; he was the only person who could make her feel this way.

 

Zoey, on the other hand, was feeling numb. She walks over to Mal’s body and kneels down. She begins to cry. Duncan and Courtney pull apart from each other and go to Zoey, with the latter putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

 

“I’m so sorry, Zoey.”

 

She sniffles, “it’s okay, Courtney. It’s not your fault. Mike had multiple personalities, but he lost control. I thought I could help him, but I just made him weak. Mal took control and he got rid of all the other personalities, including Mike.”

 

“You did good, Zoey. I know it’s hard, but you did the right thing. Mal’s gone now, and Mike doesn’t have to keep fighting him anymore.”

 

“Thanks, Duncan. I know he’s in a better place now…”

 

“Mike would be so happy to know you were the one who stopped him.”

 

“You’re right, Courtney. I’m glad I was the one who did it.”

——————————————————————------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Even after the traumatic event, the two girls passed their first year of college with flying colors. It was now summer break and the two of them had to move out of their dorms. They were currently packing up their things.

 

“What are your plans for the summer, Zoey?”

 

“I’m gonna go home and let everything go. I want to go back to all the places Mike took me. I’m ready to finally make peace with losing him.”

 

“I’m happy to hear that. You’re still coming back though, right?”

 

Zoey smiles, “of course, I’m not a quitter. I am really going to miss you though, Courtney. I wish we got to hang out more.”

 

“About that… I’m thinking of living off campus next semester… and I could use a roommate… that is, if you’re up for it.”

 

“What about Duncan?”

 

“I told him I wanted to focus on school, and he agreed, so I’m not going to move in with him. Besides, I think this would be easier for us to actually get to be friends.”

 

“I’d really like that a lot, Courtney, thanks.”

 

The two of them finish packing up and Duncan shows up when they’re all done.

 

“Ready to go, Princess?”

 

“Yeah, can you grab those boxes please?”

 

He nods and starts to load her things up in his car. He waves to Zoey and she says ‘hello’ back.

 

“So… what are your plans for the summer, Courtney?”

 

Courtney doesn’t say anything— she didn’t have to. She just looks over at Duncan, and her look said it all.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't hate Scott for the record, he's just an easy target.


End file.
